Post by adyjdy on Mar 29, 2006 19:24:55 GMT -5
Thanks for the inspiration, queensgirl. (Your post in “Rate this episode” ) I’ve been thinking about this one a lot lately and so… here’s what I’ve been thinking about.
In another episode David talks about the “unstoppable force” and the “immovable object,” and while I think at different times he and Maddie exchange or share these two roles, it is a perfect description of their relationship. That said, in this episode, David is an absolutely poetic definition of the immovable object. Over and over again, in this episode, he pursues Maddie by remaining perfectly still and waiting for the inevitable collision to bring them together… which it, of course, finally does. David’s silence and inaction are his words in this episode and he speaks volumes through his perfect stillness and immobility.
One of the magical things about our show and good writing in general is how much is communicated by what isn’t said or isn’t done. I think nowhere is this more masterfully used in ML than in “I Am Curious… Maddie.” “Blonde On Blonde” and “Sam and Dave” are David chasing Maddie, literally and figuratively. “Maddie’s Turn To Cry” has Maddie chasing David, coming to his house in the middle of the night. “I am Curious… Maddie” stands out. It is, rather, a study in pressure and silence.
The first scene where we see David silent, but completely resolute, is the scene where Sam confronts him in his bedroom. Initially alarmed, he sits up and does something we rarely see David do with such intensity: he listens. Sam lays out an entire case about how David is totally wrong for Maddie, and frankly a lesser person. In the entire exchange he says one line. “You do, huh?” That shows strength of character, but more than that, it shows strength of will, strength of intention. He intends to be with Maddie-period. Sam tells him to just “back-off.” David sits silent and is completely unwavering in the face of his rival. He doesn’t back off. He doesn’t move forward.
In fact, the only time in this episode we see him really “back off” is in David’s next scene… with Maddie, when she physically pushes him. He sits silently in her office, not moving, not speaking, but simply waiting. He is nothing short of stoic when she enters and simply says, “Why didn’t you tell me?” She is startled and seems a little confused by his seriousness. He actually looks a little scary here, but it’s really very simple. He is going to be near this woman no matter what. He stays close to her as he follows her out of the office, into the elevator, out of the elevator and back to her office. When they reenter her office he stands against the door totally still and then comes closer to her. In fact, the ONLY thing that moves him away is when she physically pushes him back, and arguably pushes him away. I’m not so baffled by his saying nothing when she tells him to “speak now or forever hold your peace.” I’m bothered by the fact that he, David Addison, man of action, walks out, and this one time, seems to “back off” completely, as though he would never return.
However, his resolve does return--I love this scene—and once again he expresses it by being completely unmoved. He runs to that parking garage so that he can what? Stand perfectly still in front of a speeding car taking Maddie away from him. That car comes within inches of hitting him, possibly killing him, and he doesn’t budge. Watch his face. After Sam hits the brakes, David holds up his head as if to say, you’re not going anywhere! Even Maddie seems shocked and downright frightened by the intensity of his expression. She can’t look away. His immobility speaks volumes, and she knows it. He does everything possible in this scene to be near her. I’m not sure even if he had actually caught up with her that he would said anything this time either, but one thing is certain… she was not going to get away from him.
After Maddie leaves, Sam suggests a walk around the block, a diversionary tactic, and again David WILL NOT be moved. David borders on frightening in this scene, too. He is so intense, so purposeful and so resolute he’s dangerous, which Sam finds out in the “barrage in the garage.” (Though it turns out Sam is more dangerous in this regard.)
David isn’t through yet. Once final time he gets near Maddie and digs in. He crawls into her bed to wait for her to come home. What presumption! I mean the woman has a couch where he could sleep off those “pain pills,” but he instead plants himself where, I’m sure, he thinks he rightfully belongs, in HER bed.
Even after Maddie realizes it was David in the bed and not Sam, he STILL remains completely unmoved. He doesn’t leave the bed; he doesn't apologize for putting her in an awkward situation. In fact, he ARRANGES THE PILLOWS so there’ll be plenty of room for her to join him. Again, it isn’t what David says here that speaks for him; it’s what he doesn’t do… which is move out of the way.
In the final scene, there is the something much more dangerous than a BMW speeding toward him to carry Maddie away. Here comes Steamroller Hayes in all her fury! She tells him to leave repeatedly, threatens to break a vase over his head, and finally physically assaults him TWICE! What does David do? It’s absolutely beautiful in its stillness. He does nothing. He stands unmoved and waits for that third slap. Watch that scene again. When he finally does kiss her, he doesn’t even move toward her. He pulls HER toward HIM! Even to the very end, his resolve to simply be near her is unaffected. Not by proposals, not by Sam, not by speeding cars, and not even by Maddie herself. He will not speak now or forever hold his peace and neither will he be moved away from this woman.
In another episode David talks about the “unstoppable force” and the “immovable object,” and while I think at different times he and Maddie exchange or share these two roles, it is a perfect description of their relationship. That said, in this episode, David is an absolutely poetic definition of the immovable object. Over and over again, in this episode, he pursues Maddie by remaining perfectly still and waiting for the inevitable collision to bring them together… which it, of course, finally does. David’s silence and inaction are his words in this episode and he speaks volumes through his perfect stillness and immobility.
One of the magical things about our show and good writing in general is how much is communicated by what isn’t said or isn’t done. I think nowhere is this more masterfully used in ML than in “I Am Curious… Maddie.” “Blonde On Blonde” and “Sam and Dave” are David chasing Maddie, literally and figuratively. “Maddie’s Turn To Cry” has Maddie chasing David, coming to his house in the middle of the night. “I am Curious… Maddie” stands out. It is, rather, a study in pressure and silence.
The first scene where we see David silent, but completely resolute, is the scene where Sam confronts him in his bedroom. Initially alarmed, he sits up and does something we rarely see David do with such intensity: he listens. Sam lays out an entire case about how David is totally wrong for Maddie, and frankly a lesser person. In the entire exchange he says one line. “You do, huh?” That shows strength of character, but more than that, it shows strength of will, strength of intention. He intends to be with Maddie-period. Sam tells him to just “back-off.” David sits silent and is completely unwavering in the face of his rival. He doesn’t back off. He doesn’t move forward.
In fact, the only time in this episode we see him really “back off” is in David’s next scene… with Maddie, when she physically pushes him. He sits silently in her office, not moving, not speaking, but simply waiting. He is nothing short of stoic when she enters and simply says, “Why didn’t you tell me?” She is startled and seems a little confused by his seriousness. He actually looks a little scary here, but it’s really very simple. He is going to be near this woman no matter what. He stays close to her as he follows her out of the office, into the elevator, out of the elevator and back to her office. When they reenter her office he stands against the door totally still and then comes closer to her. In fact, the ONLY thing that moves him away is when she physically pushes him back, and arguably pushes him away. I’m not so baffled by his saying nothing when she tells him to “speak now or forever hold your peace.” I’m bothered by the fact that he, David Addison, man of action, walks out, and this one time, seems to “back off” completely, as though he would never return.
However, his resolve does return--I love this scene—and once again he expresses it by being completely unmoved. He runs to that parking garage so that he can what? Stand perfectly still in front of a speeding car taking Maddie away from him. That car comes within inches of hitting him, possibly killing him, and he doesn’t budge. Watch his face. After Sam hits the brakes, David holds up his head as if to say, you’re not going anywhere! Even Maddie seems shocked and downright frightened by the intensity of his expression. She can’t look away. His immobility speaks volumes, and she knows it. He does everything possible in this scene to be near her. I’m not sure even if he had actually caught up with her that he would said anything this time either, but one thing is certain… she was not going to get away from him.
After Maddie leaves, Sam suggests a walk around the block, a diversionary tactic, and again David WILL NOT be moved. David borders on frightening in this scene, too. He is so intense, so purposeful and so resolute he’s dangerous, which Sam finds out in the “barrage in the garage.” (Though it turns out Sam is more dangerous in this regard.)
David isn’t through yet. Once final time he gets near Maddie and digs in. He crawls into her bed to wait for her to come home. What presumption! I mean the woman has a couch where he could sleep off those “pain pills,” but he instead plants himself where, I’m sure, he thinks he rightfully belongs, in HER bed.
Even after Maddie realizes it was David in the bed and not Sam, he STILL remains completely unmoved. He doesn’t leave the bed; he doesn't apologize for putting her in an awkward situation. In fact, he ARRANGES THE PILLOWS so there’ll be plenty of room for her to join him. Again, it isn’t what David says here that speaks for him; it’s what he doesn’t do… which is move out of the way.
In the final scene, there is the something much more dangerous than a BMW speeding toward him to carry Maddie away. Here comes Steamroller Hayes in all her fury! She tells him to leave repeatedly, threatens to break a vase over his head, and finally physically assaults him TWICE! What does David do? It’s absolutely beautiful in its stillness. He does nothing. He stands unmoved and waits for that third slap. Watch that scene again. When he finally does kiss her, he doesn’t even move toward her. He pulls HER toward HIM! Even to the very end, his resolve to simply be near her is unaffected. Not by proposals, not by Sam, not by speeding cars, and not even by Maddie herself. He will not speak now or forever hold his peace and neither will he be moved away from this woman.